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Sports briefs

Nordic Toonie sprint tonight

This week Whistler Nordics Toonie Race is a sprint event around a 1.7 km course at Nicklaus North, with all the participants getting two rounds on the course.

The sign-on is at the Nicklaus North Golf Club at 5:30 p.m. with the race getting underway at 6:15 p.m. Headlamps are mandatory as the race is not on a lighted section of trail.

The cost is $2 to take part and you must be a member of the Whistler Nordics. Non-members can pay a $5 Try-a Toonie rate, or purchase a membership for the season.

The after-party is at The Den at Nicklaus North.

The Nicklaus North Golf Club sponsors this week's race, while Ryders Eyewear and Scandinave Spa are sponsoring the Toonie Race season.

Last week's race was a headlamp classic ski romp through Lost Lake Park, sponsored by Cross Country Connection and Avalanche Pizza, which provided post-race food for racers at the Lost Lake Passive Haus.

Nicki Murdoch was the fastest junior racer in 18:36, followed by Stephanie Denroche in 23:03. Michael Murdoch led the junior boys in 20:43, followed by Owen Reith in 20:56 and Gabriel Rushbrook in 22:50.

The older racers did two laps of the course. Ghlee Macleod led the women in 29:55, followed by Andrea Peiffer in 33:06 and Teresa Oswald in 33:40. Vesa Suomalainen led the elite men in 24:07, followed by Brent Murdoch in 25:56 and Tony Peiffer in 25:58.

For more information visit www.whistlernordics.com.

 

Ski and Snowboard Cross this weekend

A huge turnout is expected this weekend for the first of the season Whistler Blackcomb Ski and Snowboard Cross presented by Powerade, especially in the younger ski categories, which have been known to sell out. One event last year had over 170 participants, with skiers and boarders of all ages particiapting.

The competition is a two-day event, with training and qualification on Saturday, and more training followed by the brackets on Sunday.

Advance registration is $44.80, taxes included, at Whistler Blackcomb Guest Relations, and you can register on the day of the event at the Rendezvous Lodge for $50. Registration is open until 9:45 a.m.

Helmets are mandatory for all racers and mouthguards are recommended. Because of the nature of cross events, other protective gear such as full-face helmets, padding and braces can also come in handy.

The course follows the permanent track on Blackcomb Mountain, although the run will be cleared, groomed and built-up for the race day. There are no jumps or mandatory airs, and the goal is to keep your skis or board on the snow as much as possible over jumps and rollers.

 

For a good cause

The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to local non-profits over the years, raising the majority of its money through two fundraising events - a golf tournament in the summer, and the annual Telus Winter Classic taking place Jan. 28-29.

The Winter Classic includes two evening events - the Whistler Winetastic wine tasting on Friday and the annual Masquerade Gala at the Roundhouse Lodge on Saturday night. There is also a team event that includes tickets for both evening events, the Westin breakfast on both days, priority life line privileges, the ability to ski with a pro, and entries into the "Match Your Time" Race Classic. In this event, all four team members will go through a short giant slalom course once, hear their time for that run, then take a second run while trying to guess what their time will be. The team with the lowest difference between guess and actual times will win a prize package.

For more information on individual events and packages, visit www.whistlerblackcombfoundation.com.

 

Wolfpack win one, without top scorers

With no hope of making the playoffs this year, the Squamish Wolfpack agreed to trade the team's top scorer, local skater Konrad Sander, to the Delta Ice Hawks so he would have a chance at winning the league and the provincial Junior B title. Milo Dragutinovic was also traded before the deadline to the Mission Icebreakers.

Despite the loss of firepower, the Wolfpack managed to win a rare home game this past Saturday, topping the Aldergrove Kodiaks 6-2. It was the team's first win of 2011, and only their sixth win in 36 games.

Vitalik Morozov, who the Pack acquired from Delta for Sander, led the team with a goal and three assists.

Squamish netted the first two goals of the game. The first was by Benjamin McWilliams, with assists from Vitalik Morozov and Brady Bjornson, and the second - on powerplay - by Byrden Luscombe with assists from Connor Cross and Jaret Babych.

The Kodiaks answered back to make it a 2-1 game, then tied it up briefly in the second period before Morozov scored, assisted by Dean Wilson and Cole Briggs, to give Squamish the lead once again.

From there, it was all Squamish. Brady Bjornson scored a power play goal to lead off the third period, with assists from Jacob Bergeron and Valik Chichkin. Jaret Babych added a goal, assisted by Morozov and Bjornson. Jame Creamore capped the team's six-goal night, with assists from Morozov and Cole Briggs.

Despite the win, January has not been kind to the Wolfpack, losing 8-2 to Richmond on Jan. 8, 8-3 to Mission on Jan. 9, and 6-3 to Abbotsford on Jan. 14.

Whistler's Matt Bonin is currently injured with a minor concussion, and did not play in the last two games. With the departure of Sander, he now sits third on the Wolfpack's scoring list with 15 points on seven goals and eight assists.

He is expected to return to the lineup this Saturday when the Wolfpack host the Mission Ice Breakers at Brennan Park. The puck drops at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.